About me...and HCG- the first 3 days

Hi Everyone!
My name (for blog purposes) is PJRay...and I have decided to try the 23 day HCG plan- using injections.

I am 39 and just had a baby 6 months ago. I only gained 22 lbs during my pregnancy- a very intentional effort to gain enough to grow a healthy baby -but not so much that I messed up my "mommy makeover" which included a breast lift and tummy tuck- about 2 years ago. I succeeded- and only gained a small amount- so I didn't suffer from any new stretch marks, my tummy stayed flat and within 3 weeks of giving birth I had lost the 22 lbs- plus another 8 lbs (probably from breastfeeding)- and was back at my pre-pregnancy weight of right at 170 lbs.

I am 5'4"- so 170 is a little bit much for my frame- I feel that I look the best and am most healthy around the 150 lb mark on the scale. Since I didn't have a lot of weight to lose- I wanted to try this HCG program- and see how it would work for me.

So, 4 days ago on (March 10th) - I began my injections and the first of three "binge" days. The binging was hard for me- because I don't over-eat nor do I regularly eat unhealthy or fatty foods. My doctor encouraged me to eat 3000 calories per day for the first 3 days...and I probably get around 1400-1800 per day on average in my normal daily life. This is probably the reason that I don't have any trouble maintaining a weight- that caloric intake would be about right for me and my activity level to simply "maintain." However, I want to LOSE weight...and that's what brought me to this.

The first "binge" day was fun- I had my husband take me out for a mexican lunch which consisted of sour cream enchiladas, refried beans, tortillas and a huge slice of carrot cake. I was thinking "YES" this is a great way to LOAD UP! The problem was- I made it through 1 of the enchiladas and was pretty much full- I managed to get down 4 bites of the carrot cake before I was pushing away from the table. For dinner I had a nice helping of spaghetti and meat sauce, a piece of garlic bread and a mixed greens salad with a small splash of Italian dressing and a sprinkle of croutons.

The second "binge" day started out with a bang- 2 eggs, 2 sausage patties, 2 pieces of cinnamon toast, a roma tomato and coffee with cream and sugar. OMG- I was STUFFED! For lunch I had tortilla soup and 2 soft tacos -then a honey drizzled sopapilla at Ninfas. This happened to be a Thursday- and that is weekly "date night" with the husband! We went to dinner at a local grill and brewery- and I enjoyed 3 beers, a rice & chicken dish with peppers and onions and a couple of mozzarella sticks. I am pretty sure I was close to my 3000 calorie goal that day.

Yesterday was the third and final "binge" day- and it was also a road trip -taking my brother home. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast- where I ordered and finished a sausage/egg biscuit, 1/2 of a small OJ and a large coffee with cream. A couple hours down the road- we pulled off for a break-and I grabbed a bag of "Bugles" - a bag of "Cracker Jacks" (both single serving bags- not the family size that you throw in your pantry) and a diet Mt. Dew. Later in the day- around mid-afternoon I found a Sonic and upon finally convincing myself "its OK to do this- its part of the DIET" - I ordered and semi-enjoyed a hamburger with ketsup, mayo & veggies, all but 3 in the order of my tots and a diet vanilla coke....man it was all so GOOD! Last night in bed I ate a brownie that my husband baked- knowing it would be my last goodie for a while.

Each morning for the past 3 days- I have given myself the prescribed HCG injection. The first day was hilarious- as I stabbed myself in the thumb- very strategically in a nerve- so that my whole arm hurt that day. I had never handled a needle before- much less given myself an injection... so it was an experience for sure. My stomach area-below my belly button is mostly numb from the tummy tuck- so pain wasn't a concern- and needles don't make me squeamish at all. So- I loaded up the needle and stuck myself! That was that. It has been pretty much a non-event each day since- and this morning was the 4th injection.